UPDATE (12/23/07): added the MBL 5011 preamp. After living with my Esoteric front end for almost 3 months without a pre, I came to the realization that a pre was definitely needed. Without a pre, the sound was a bit thin and lacking bass. The 5011 addressed these issues and so much more. I did not realize how poor my soundstaging was until I introduced the 5011. This pre does in incredible job of layering the soundstage as well as separating each individual instrument.
UPDATE (12/07/07): added the Ayre MX-R amps. These were broken in by my dealer for 2 weeks before I took delivery. I rarely am taken back by gear but I was startled at how much real these amps sounded to me than my previous amps. There is more detail, more immediacy of notes, very good separation of instruments, and a very nice holographic presentation. I can go on and on but by far these amps are the most realistic sounding I have come across. They are just so enjoyable to listen to!
UPDATE (9/29/07): added Esoteric P-03 transport and D-05 DAC. The D-05 has the latest 32 bit DAC from AKM. Even only after a few hours I hear much better separation between instruments and notes, better sustain and decay, and more authoritative bass. More updates to follow.
UPDATE (8/03/07): added the Oyaide R1 outlet for my amps. Everything is a bit livelier with much better detail. I am hearing so many little nuances I have never heard before!
UPDATE (7/24/07): added the Oyaide SWO-GX Ultimo outlet to my front end. What a difference! The bass now goes lower and there is more detail across the board. I will adding another outlet for my amps next. This is by far one of the best tweaks I have ever done.
UPDATE (7/13/07): I finally got around to adding some heavy silk drapes and they made a world of difference. Everything is much smoother. I will continue to look for ways to judiciously treat my room without making it look like a recording studio.
Beauty:
-The sound is just incredible. Vocals are holographic and textured.
-The MBL 5011 preamp is beautiful to look at. Luckily the sound is just as good.
-The Ayre MX-R amps are just gorgeous to look at. The casework is outstanding. And as my wife said, "they are so cute"!
Beasts:
-The Usher BE-10 speakers are big and thick producing a powerful yet delicate sound.
-The Esoteric P-03 transport is incredibly heavy (75lb) and big but it sure sounds good.
My system has undergone A LOT of changes over the last few years. This has been mainly to me figuring out my own listening preferences and understanding what I wanted to get out of my system. After swapping out a lot of components and spending too much money, I have finally settled down a bit.
I listen to all kinds of music but tend to favor anything with female vocals, particularly acoustic folk and vocal jazz. I also favor simple orchestration and basic instrumentation with a preference for acoustic guitar and piano. The less number of instruments between me and the vocals the better. I mainly go to listen to music in small, intimate venues where I am able to sit within a few feet of the band.
Given my musical tastes, I wanted to put together a system that is able to reproduce the sound as organically as possible. I want to hear every little detail like the quiver in a singer's voice, the sound of the guitar pick striking the string, the feeling of the hammer hitting the piano string. To me, these tiny nuances help to make the music sound as real (i.e. organic) as possible. To this end, I wanted a system that was detailed, dynamic, fast, and immediate with just a hint of warmth. I did not want anything that was too syrupy sounding though. My current system gives me everything I am looking for. It is as close to hearing musicians in my room that I have ever heard with any previous iteration of my system.
I love the Esoteric sound so much I had to get their P-03 transport.
Esoteric D-05
Anniversary model with new AKM 32 bit DAC
Esoteric VRDS-Neo
This transport is a work of art! By far, the best, most accurate transport available. The amount of detail it extracts is amazing!
Sonos ZP-80
Wireless digital music system. Digital output is sent to Esoteric D-05 DAC, a huge improvement over internal DAC. I enjoy my music so much more now that I have instant access to my 40K song library
MBL 5011
A very musical preamp with outstanding soundstaging and separation of each instrument.
Ayre Acoustics MX-R
I am so happy with these amps. They make everything sound so real it is startling! The transparency and dynamics suit my preferences perfectly!
Usher BE-10
Very dynamic and neutral sounding speaker. I am sold on beryllium!
Tara Labs The One
Very transparent and "tight" sounding cable that also offers weight and solidity. These give me all the virtues I admired in my previous speaker cable, the Nordost Blue Heaven while providing what it was missing.
Acoustic Zen Silver Reference II
Used between my source and preamp. Great detail without sounding bright or edgy.
Acoustic Zen Matrix Reference II
Used between my preamp and amp. Very smooth sounding.
Acoustic Zen MC2 XLR
AES/EBU digital cable from Esoteric P-03 transport to D-05 DAC.
Acoustic Zen Silver Byte
Used to synch the word clock from the Esoteric D-05 DAC to the P-03 transport.
Acoustic Zen MC2 RCA
Digital cable from Sonos ZP-80 wireless digital music system to Esoteric D-05 DAC.
Virtual Dynamics Nite 3
Being used to power by MBL 5011 preamp. Like all VD power cables I immediately noticed more dynamics, speed, and authority. The soundstage with the VD power cables are incredible!
Star Sound Technology SP-4 Sistrum Stand
Great amp stand that helped to add smoothness to my system.
Oyaide SWO-GX Ultimo
Double cryo'd outlet with 24K gold plating - used for cdp and preamp
Oyaide R1
Cryo'd ac outlet with Beryllium/copper and palladium plating - used for amps
HiFi Tuning Fuse
I added this "audiophile" fuse to my MBL 5011 preamp. I am not sure it made any difference but it was cheap and lord knows I have spent much more money on things that actually made my system sound worse! My previous preamp, Classe CP-700 did respond positively to these fuses though. I still may try some in my other components.
Henry, I too have been on the autobahn...going VERY fast...even though Ferraris and Lamborghinis were still passing us in our "modest" BMW. A family vehicle is also in out future though I will not give up the dream. The M6 looks simply outstanding.
Tommy, what a coincidence, I owned an M3 when I lived in Germany (yes, where I did take it to the 175mph speed limit on many occasions)...almost imported a new M5 but got a Merc with 7 seats instead (family situation). Have a great weekend connecting the new gear! I'm sure it will take some time for first proper impressions with burn in and all that. I agree with you on Gerry's room...nice integration with the living space. I like Gerry's comment about the tweaking into insanity. That endless quest for the illusive better sound...
Still I think there should be some budget set aside for other pleasures...such as an M3!
Hi Gerry. Thank you for the kind words. I have in fact replaced my Pass amps with the MX-R. I am also waiting delivery of the MBL 5011 preamp. Even though the sound of the Esoteric is great direct to the amps, I prefer the fuller sound I get when gong through a pre. Both the Ayre and MBL will arrive tomorrow. Needless to say I am pretty excited, especially since my system has been down for almost 2 weeks now and my wife's pink IPOD is not really satisfying my musical desires.
BTW, are you a BMW M5 fan (based on your username)? Both my wife and I owned M3s. We are now looking to get the new M6! What an incredible vehicle!
Thanks again for the kind words. Your system, not only the way it must sound but the way it looks in your room, is spectacular. I wish I had a bigger room but alas housing prices in California keeps me confined to my modest little home.
Vsfang, have you gotten your system repaired? Is it still making a loud noise when spinning? Mine definitely makes noise as well but I can only hear it from about 12" away. I am not sure about the SACD being louder since I never noticed but I will check it out tonight.
I finally got around to running my Sonos digital music system through the Esoteric D-05 DAC. I am completely amazed! I knew the DAC in the Sonos was probably low quality but I did not realize how much better the music sounds going through the Esoteric! Songs that I know very well actually sound different, like a new version. Things I noticed was much more detail. I am hearing little nuances in the vocals and instruments that makes the song completely different. There is also a naturalness to the music now, whereas before, I knew I was listening to compressed digital music. The Esoteric DAC has made it that much more enjoyable for me to listen to my massive 10K cd library!
As an aside, the logical question is whether or not my Sonos + Esoteric DAC sounds as good as my Esoteric P-03+D-05 transport and DAC. Well that is an unfair question because I rip my music to mp3, VBR 256 using EAC so it would not be right to compare compressed music vs a cdp. That being said, the sound quality out of my Sonos is very good! I would say it is 90% of the Esoteric separates. I wonder if I encoded in a lossless format whether it would sound as good as the Esoteric cdp??? Gotta try that next. Even if it does sound as good I will always have a cdp because I like the convenience of listening to music as soon as I get a cd.
Hi Hic. There are several reasons why I chose the combo I did. I picked the P-03 over the P-05 because it has a better transport. In my opinion, the transport is critical in terms of being able to retrieve all the available data on cd. Interestingly, the P-03 upsamples while the D-03 does not. I would have thought the upsampling would occur in the DAC. In preferred upsampling in the DAC because I also have a digital music source (Sonos) which I wanted to send through the DAC. The D-05 allowed me to do this and upsampling, while the D-03 would not have. I also wanted to try the new AKM 32 bit DAC found in the D-05. Finally, the price difference between the D-05 and D-03 made it worth my while. If you do not have the same needs as I me, I would go for the P-03 and D-03 if you can afford it or the P-03 and D-05.
As for outlets, I am going the audition the Oyaide RTP-4 and the Acoustic Revive. I am a big fan of Oyaide so I am hoping the RTP is better than my cheapo Staples power strip I am currently using. For amps, I go directly into the wall. I found this to be the best.
Hi Tboooe, Very nice system. Why use the P-03 with the D-05? I am looking into the P-05 and D-05 or get a used P-03 and D-03. What are your thought? I am also looking for outlet for my amps,pre-amp and cd player. Any suggstion. Thanks, Hic
Both the P-03 transport and D-05 DAC have upsampling capabilities, up to 176. I played around with upsampling only in the P-03, only in the D-05, and upsampling in both (for example upsampling to 88.2 in the P-03 then upsampling to 176 in the D-05). I found upsampling only in the P-03 to sound smoother, richer, and more analog like. In contrast, upsampling in the D-05 sounded more jagged and digital. Mind you, the differences between the two was made more obvious only by direct comparison. In isolation, both units sound incredible.
I wonder what a clock would do??? When my bank account recovers a bit, I am going to have to investigate this....
Henry, I would not say the D-05 is more up to date. It does use the latest AKM 32 bit DAC and has upsampling capability. The D-03 does not. Strangely, the P-03 can upsample. I found it odd that the transport would do the upsampling. I would have expected this feature to be in the DAC. Anyway, now I am comparing if it sounds better to upsample in the DAC or transport.
To be totally honest about the EMM, I wanted to try the new one box player but a few of my friends have had little quality issues with EMM. Besides, I have always been a huge fan of Esoteric and the P-03/D-03 was my dream cdp but I could never justify spending that much. But when the D-05 became avaialable with the newer DAC at a lower price I jumped on it. I have always felt the transport is more critical than the DAC (assuming good quality DACS are used).
As for stopping by your home, I would have loved to but I dont think you would have appreciated me bringing my boss with me. We would have talked about business all night. But after a few drinks who knows that would happened! I would have really enjoyed sharing your cognac and listening to your incredible system. I can only imagine what it would be like to hear your vinyl on a cold evening after a few drinks...I have to make the effort to visit you once you settle back in Europe....
Before I got the Emm I was toying with the idea of getting the P-03/D-03 combo (without the clock), I wonder still how they would compare to the cheaper Emm. You got the D-05, is it more up-to-date than the D-03 with the 32 bit chip?
You should have made the effort after all to visit me...as I had some leftover bottles of Cos D'Estournel '98 and 25+ yr old Baluet Cognac to finish before I packed up...oh well. My system would have sounded infinitely better after a bottle or two, best tweak ever! LOL.
Apo, sounds like a great time! Where exactly do you live in Calif? I have lived here my entire life and do not recall being familiar with where you live. As for my personal favorite libations, I tend to favor Merlots, Pinot Noir, Shiraz, Cognac, or any cheap beer ice cold!
As for dragging the Esoteric I am afraid I wont be able to do that. The transport along weighs 75lbs! However, I would be happy to tell a whole bunch of lies about its performance!
Tboooe, if you ever come by westernmost Rednekistan (check your visa and immunizations first...) you simply MUST bring the VRDS by, and perhaps some favorite CDs. (Maybe a trusted digital interconnect; I'm sort of light on those.) We'll warm up the Wave-Motion Engine, listen to tunes, and tell each other outrageous lies whose only important quality is to be well-told. What shall I have the Aporigininnies put on ice for you? (I personally favor vintage Port, Cote-Rotie and Mexican beer.) cheers apo
Apo, I forgot to answer your question about the Esoteric VRDS transport. To me, the most important part of a cdp is the transport. As you can see by the picture in my setup, the VRDS is a massive component with lots of rigidity and precision. Other transports look like toys next to it. I believe a few other high end manufacturers OEM a less robust version of the VRDS.
I have owned a few good cdps in my life (Cary, Musical Fidelity) and nothing comes close to the Esoteric's ability to resolve low level detail and nuance. Some people think this level of detail could be clinical. I think the opposite. It is precisely the ability to hear all of the little imperfections and details that make the music seem more organic and "live".
Hi Apo! Thank you very much for the kind words. I really appreciate it.
The Pass XA amps are very good sounding and suits my musical tastes. I listen to a lot of female vocals (jass/pop/folk/acoustic/chamber music) which does not put a lot of demands on an amp is terms of requiring incredible dynamics and headroom for explosive passages. My musical preferences requires finesse and the ability to resolve low level and ambient details. I also prefer a sound that is organic, instead of being too slick or digital. In these regards, the XA does a very good job. The one area that it may not be as good as others is attack. There is a slight politeness to leading edges of notes but given what it does well, I am willing trade this.
Right now, I am not using a pre between my D-05 and amp. I think though that it needs one. Without a pre the sound is clear and transparent though just a tad lean and slightly bright. Another issue is the volume control of the D-05. The steps between each volume setting is too large. Since I listen at relatively low volumes (70db), I must have great low volume adjustability. This alone is making me consider getting a preamp.
As for cables, I am honestly beginning to think about auditioning more cables. I originally selected AX because I know they offer great value for the money. I am not necessarily disappointed with their performance. At the time, I did not do an exhaustive analysis of the competitors. Now that I have more resolving gear, I will look at this aspect of my system again. That being said, I am not a believer in super expensive cables. Yes, I do believe cables make a difference but only up to a certain price point.
Please let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks for stopping by and looking at my humble system.
Tboooe, Beautiful system! I would love to know how those big XAs would sound in my half-finished rig. Talk to me about the VRDS-Neo transport. Are you running it? Do you need a pre between the D-05 and the amps? What were the "competitors" when you settled on Acoustic Zen for ics and speaker wires? Thanks cheers apo
Hi Dev! Thanks for stopping by. I am definitely looking at adding the clock, the G03x to be exact which is supposed to be accurate to 0.01ppm. I thought about getting the rhobidium one but I cant justify spending that kind of money on a clock. Plus I am not convinced that it makes much of a difference than the lesser G03x. Though I am open to differing opinions. I am interested in hearing your thoughts on this. Once my wallet stops smoking I will add the clock, probably sometime after the new year. Long term I will look into vertically biamping to see if I can reach the nirvana!
Please keep me updated when you get your speakers. Those MBLs are quite amazing!
Tboooe, great to hear that you are enjoying your new toys. I most definitely agree that you need a pre within the chain, I have tried several times in the past and always went back to using one in my system. Wow! does the clock ever make a difference when added to the two pieces you already have, if I was you I'd be looking at getting one.
My P-03/D-05 combo has over 100 hours breakin now and I am happy to report my ears do not hurt anymore! I am not quite sure what changed during the breakin because I always thought the units sounded great. All I know is that I can now listen for hours to glorious music without my ear hurting anymore!
I have been told that the Esoteric needs around 300 hours breakin. Though I have never been a believer that drastic changes occur after the first 100 hours, I am looking forward to any more improvements that can be had from what is already a great cdp.
Even though I do think the sound is great, I am going back to a preamp in my system. Its hard to explain but I just think the music sounds better with a good quality preamp in the chain. The me the sound is fuller with more weight. There are also the user functions found in a good preamp that I miss as well (better volume control, output triggers, multiple outputs, etc).
All in all, I am feeling pretty good about my humble little system. Thanks for reading.
thanks T -but in the last year have 7 new pwr cords -1 new intecon-a new sub --since my beloved muse mod 18 died--and of course the esoteric replacing my old transport and dac-and 2 furman ref 15it pwr cond-trust me that doesn't include the HT system upstairs --remember early on in this hobby -I got networked with a group of audiophile crazies :):)and bought and sold lots of stuff trying to get it right--this was all pre internet--just get a good pre amp --and pwr conditioner-then just relax for awhile and enjoy your great system---rich
Rich, yes I did get more info. I am considering it.
I also got the Isotek though I have not used it yet. I will let you know after I run it.
BTW, I am amazed you have kept your pre and amp for 10 yrs! That is like dog years in the audiophile world! Congrats with avoiding the upgrade silliness (unlike me!)
